Apparatus for coupling pipes



ug. 2, 1932. c. L., ROBERTS 1,869,778

' n APPARATUS FOR COUPLING PIPES Filed Oct. 3l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY (Zar/@5l ffoiel A TTORNE YS.

Patented Aug. 2,. 1932 STATES PATENr orf-'lcs 7 f I" LES L. ROBERTS, 0F RENO, NEVADA .crema-:Us ron. coUrLme runs Application Med October 81, 1930. Serial llo. 498,588.

submarine pipe lines.

. e The conventional method of coupling pipes under water is by the sc-called stabbing means. ln this method one ortwo divers hold. the section of pipes to be coupled in register with the pipe line and another diver l@ does the cou ling. This requires a number of men and, ue to the lsurge of the ocean currents, the registration is extrernel dicult. The device of this invention is irected to coupling pipe lines under these circumstances 15 so as to reduce the number of men necessary to do the coupling and to facilitate the assembling ot the pi The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of 2@ which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is Aa section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 25 of Fig. 1.

Fig. d is an isometric portion of one term of coupling. F ig. 5 shows the coupling and a portion of the coupling cut away. lt will be observed 80 that the pipe section in Fig. 3 is taken on tho line 3-3 of Fig. 5. Fi s. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show various stages of the met od of coupling used.

Fig. 9 shows the coupled device.

The device consists or semi-cylindrical cradle 1, having end plates 2, cut out to receive the pipe. Two lugs 3 and t, provided with holes, are positioned on the outside of the cradle. ln the intermediate portion of the cradle are two pipe supports 5 and 6; between supports 5 and 6 are hand holes 7 one on each side of the cradle. Positioned on and between the supports 2 and 6 are straps 8 and 9 to which are attached two straps 10, bolted to 8 and 9 by bolts 11. On the side of the cradle underneath the boltsll are hand holes ln o retin the device, the coupled portion ofpethe pg e line 16 islifted and the cradle l slid un er it so'that the oove 17 of 5 pipe 16 is in registry with hand ole The rubber gasket 13 is slipped under one end of the pipe. The straps 10 are removed by removing bolts 11. The pipe section 16 to be connected to the rest o the pipe line is placed on the pipe support 2 and 6, and the 55 straps 10 are placed over the pipe and the bolts placed to hold the pipes 16 firmly on lthe cradle. It is important that the pipes be held suciently Erm so that 'the swells will not move it out of registry 'and thus inter- 6@ fere with the easy setting of the coupling. The diver inserts a holding wrench through hand hold 12 and is thus enabled to screw the bolt 11 firmly to hold the strap 10.. The pipes 16ers now in register and the aslret es 13 is slipped over as in Fig. 7. The sections le of the pipe coupling (see Fig. 4) arev then easily slid over the pipe by inserting the strap between the pipes and the cradle. The diver after adjusting the couplin inserts the bolt through hand hole 7 an through appropriate openings in lugs on the coupling 14 and screws the bolt 15 tlghtly to hold the pipe coupling rigidly on the pipe. This coupling is held lirmly by virtue of the groove 17. The straps l() are then removed by removin the bolts 11- and a hook is placed in the lugs 4 and the cradle is rotated around the pi e, water in the cradle running out throng hand holes 12 and 7 so facilitating so ythe rotation and the cradle 1s moved to the next station. In this manner the coupling is made readil `and with a minimum of labor.

The above escription is not to be taken as limiting my invention but merely descriptive and illustrative of the best manner of carrying out my invention. Many variations thereof will ap ar to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of my invention.

claim 1. -A device for coupling submarine pipe sections comprising a semi-cylindrical crad e, a plurality of pipe supports, clamps over certam of said supports and hand holes under said clamps.

2. A device for coupling submarine pipe A sections comprising va semi-cylindrical cradle, pipe supports, clamps for holding pipe cn said pipe supports, hand holes for said gli? clamps, a second set of pipe supports adapted to register pipe on said second set of supports with the pipe on said first mentioned ipe supports and a hand hole in the cradle tween said sets of pipe supports.

3. Inl a device of the character described,

a cradle having a plurality of pipe supports spaced alon said cradle; clamps for holding pipe on sai pipe supports; a hand hole in said cradle intermediate certain of said pipe supports; a curved base for said cradle, said cradle being rotatable on said base to disenga e said pipe from said cradle.

igned at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 20th day of October, A. D. 1930.

CHARLES L. ROBERTS. 

